Barbs are a great choice for beginner hobbyists. Since the fish are unpretentious and rather peaceful, their reproduction at home will not be difficult. The most common species are the Sumatran barbs with a magnificent tiger golden yellowish coloration.
Barbs. Reproduction in a home aquarium
For breeding at home, you need a spacious aquarium with a volume of at least 20 liters. It should be noted that barbs do not like bright light, therefore, dense thickets of plants with small leaves and moss should be placed in the aquarium. Do not forget about spawning panicles. Barbs are fish that leave their offspring to the mercy of fate. Often they just eat their own eggs. This is why the plants in the aquarium will act as a natural defense for the eggs.
Reproduction at home should take place at the required water temperature. The recommended temperature range is from + 23 ° C to + 25 ° C. For successful spawning, the water temperature must be raised to + 26 ° C + 28 ° C. In order for the barbs to successfully spawn, it is enough to plant a couple of fish in the spawning aquarium.
Before spawning, barbs are planted in different aquariums for about a month. In this case, the water temperature must be reduced by two degrees. Feeding of fish during this period is carried out as follows: the female should be given mainly plant food, and the male should be given protein. By the way, it is quite easy to distinguish a male from a female: females have a rounder tummy, and they themselves are much smaller in size than males. The swollen tummy of females also testifies to their readiness for reproduction.
Seasoned aquarists have noticed that the female must be 3-4 months younger than the male for successful breeding. Spawning in Sumatran barbs begins the next morning after their reunification in one container. First, the male will look after the female, and when she begins to throw her eggs, he will immediately begin to leave traces of seed on them.
It is curious that a single spawning can bring up to hundreds of fertilized eggs. Since barbs do not like sunlight, the spawning aquarium should be located in a dark place in the apartment. Experts say that the fertilization of eggs can be artificially improved. To do this, very little salt is added to the water: 1 teaspoon per 10 liters of water.
At the end of spawning, the newly minted "parents" should be removed from the aquarium. Otherwise, they can devour their own laid eggs. At a water temperature of + 26 ° C, fry will appear on the fifth day. Reproduction of barbs at home is not only an exciting activity, but also not causing unnecessary hassle and costs.
How to feed barbus fry?
Aquarists claim that rotifers, brine shrimp, ciliates and nauplii are the best diet for newly hatched barbs. It is recommended that already slightly grown fish be given small crustaceans to eat. Juveniles of Sumatran barbs grow rather quickly and actively, as a result of which inequality may arise: larger individuals will begin to eat smaller ones. To avoid cannibalism, young barbs must be sorted by size. Subject to abundant and proper feeding, these fish will become sexually mature already at 8 months.
